Partnership Criteria:

CASA of Oregon believes that mainstream financial systems, as well as the institutions that support them, were created out of white supremacy. We also believe that asset building is one of the only pathways out of poverty and that the system was designed to exclude very low income individuals and people of color from developing assets that can be passed down generationally. As an anti-racist organization that embraces equity within the work that we do, we see it as our obligation to create opportunities for under-represented communities to gain access to assets. We do this as an effort to de-center whiteness from within these institutions.  Because of this commitment, we focus our collaborative on serving the following communities:

• Communities of color
• Low and very low income
• Rural (with an emphasis on communities of color within them)
• First generation students and homebuyers
• Minority and women owned businesses

To be considered for partnership, potential partners must meet the following criteria:

1.   Be a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, a Housing Authority, or other agency whose mission aligns with the IDA mission to assist in asset building for low-income families and individuals.
2.   Potential partner has the capacity to enroll and support new savers annually. Capacity is defined as the ability to provide some method of direct service case management to its savers as well as working with savers through all aspects of participation.
3.   Be able to provide financial education that meets the minimum of the Oregon Financial Education Standards, or can enter into an MOU with a referring agency to provide this
4.   Be able to provide asset specific education and coaching to support the saver towards a successful asset purchase
5.   Be committed to building equity into how the IDA program is delivered in their communities

Restrictions on Partnership

Participating partners must recertify annually through the Request for Qualifications process.  During this process, the partner may restate their intention to continue serving IDAs, or may opt to increase or decrease their asset offerings, service area, etc.  At this time, or at any point in time, either party might decide to modify the nature of the relationship, to include dissolving the relationship, if continued partnership no longer meets the mission of the IDA program.

IDA funds are distributed to each organization to be used annually. In the event that the partner agency has used the majority of its funds for the year, restrictions may be placed on new enrollments.  In the event that there are no funds for new enrollments, partners may place interested parties on a waitlist and make monthly contact until funds become available.

Selection of new partners will include:

• Relevance of their missions and current programs to economic development and education and ability to meet objectives of the Oregon IDA Program
• Funding availability
• Strength of their administrative and existing service structure
• Capacity to case manage and provide direct services to IDA participants
• IDA participants’ availability and access to financial education programs and asset specific trainings required by the IDA program
• Ability to participate in and contribute towards advocacy for the program
• Readiness to proceed

1)   Pre-Application Orientation.  Upon inquiry, the Administrator of the collaborative (CASA of Oregon) will schedule a pre-application orientation with interested parties.  The purpose of this orientation is to provide the applicant with an extensive overview of the IDA, the roles and responsibilities of each collaborative Partner.

2)   Complete Partner Application. Potential partners will then be invited to complete the partner application, should it be determined to be a good fit.

3)   Review.  Applications are reviewed once a year, prior to the new funding cycle in April.  New applications can be submitted at any time but will only be reviewed from January- March, with decisions being made in April.

• Lender Letter (8.1.17)

• Sample FHA Lender Letter (8.17)